Anemia due to a lack of iron is a very common disease in pregnancy, childhood, and adolescence, periods when the need for this nutrient is greater, as many changes are taking place in the body. It is also caused by an inadequate and low-iron diet.
Anemia reduces the body’s capacity for absorbing the oxygen we breathe. That’s why the main symptoms are: pallor, tiredness, lack of desire to do things, and little appetite. In pregnant women, the desire to eat certain foods and weird things can also be a sign that they are lacking some vitamins or minerals in their diet.
Everything a baby needs to form and grow comes from the mother’s blood. If the woman has little iron in her blood or was malnourished before getting pregnant, she has a high chance of having anemia due to a lack of iron in pregnancy.
Children of anemic pregnant women have a greater risk of being born with low birth weight and dying in the first days of life.
To have a healthy pregnancy and good development of the baby in the mother’s womb, the pregnant woman needs to eat foods rich in iron, such as red meat (beef, poultry) and offal (liver, heart, etc.), dark green vegetables, etc., among other foods. Learn more about foods rich in iron in the basic content.
The World Health Organization (WHO) recommends that every pregnant woman take an iron and folic acid supplement daily to prevent anemia.
Leader, check how much iron and folic acid are supplemented in your country: Philippines
Pregnant women receive iron, folic acid, and calcium supplements for free. This last one is recommended from month 5 of pregnancy.
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- Anemia in pregnancy
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- e-Basic Guide from pregnancy to 2 years old
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- The pregnancy
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- Anemia in pregnancy
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- e-Facilitador em UBS e Maternidade
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- The pregnant woman
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- Anemia in pregnancy